Daniel Shellenbarger’s Reviews > The Fellowship of the Ring > Status Update

"'Neither does Frodo,' said Gandalf, unexpectedly supporting Pippin." for the first and LAST time.

Just got to the part where the scouts are coming back after the Council of Elrond and they mention not finding Radagast at home; I do wonder whatever happened to Radagast. He shows up, sets things in motion, then POOF, never heard from again. I mean, it wouldn't surprise me if Saruman did him in, but it's weird that it never comes up.

'I do not know if I can do anything to help you; but I will whisper this in your ears. Someone said that intelligence would be needed in the party. He was right. I think I shall come with you.' You just know that Gandalf knows full well that Pippin said it, but there's no way he's going to admit to agreeing with Pippin.

Something that's really struck me during this reading is how the hobbits grow as characters. Many fantasy novels simply have something horrible and life-changingly traumatic happen and then the characters basically deal with it, but Tolkien uses a sort of creeping loss of innocence, things are unsettling, then alarming, then terrifying, and then horrific, and the hobbits gradually grow in response.